I recently heard that a casino was being considered for the Grand Hotel in Lake Wales. I was born in Detroit, and lived in the suburbs most of my life. We currently live in Troy, Mich., just 14 miles north of downtown Detroit where three casinos are now located. As most people know, Detroit has continued to slide downhill, and more people are moving out than moving into the city. Casinos were presented to the City Council, and subsequently to the citizens as a cure all for the cash problems of the city, and the schools. Detroit, and the school system continues to deteriorate.

Only the casino owners reap any real gain. Yes, the city and the school system have received some money, but nothing like what was promised. A few years ago the Detroit News/Free Press ran an article about the casino’s attendance, their gross proceeds, and other information related to the Detroit area gambling business. At that time, the net loss per casino attendee was about $87 per day. Do the citizens of Lake Wales really want this kind of business in their city?

You are currently not logged inBy logging in you can see the full story.